For anyone in search of a reliable media database, IMDb has served television and film fanatics for years now. Launched on October 17, 1990, the website has grown to include exclusive information about television shows, movies, and even web series. Billed as “the world's most popular and authoritative source for movie, TV, and celebrity content,” the site has a reliable interface for users and publications alike to leave reviews. IMDb is a predecessor to a lot of the aggregated review platforms many of us take for granted and which create a cozy atmosphere for avid film audience: Metacritic, IGN, and even platforms like Letterboxd.
The longevity and the popularity of the site contribute to its credibility, and accurate information about titles and compelling, newsworthy revelations tend to pique fans’ interest. The website uses a rating system to curate seemingly countless lists, and famously has a ranking of the Top 250 TV Shows. The list is based on user scores, which of course explains the variety in genres and geographic settings. Here are the ten highest-rated TV Shows according to IMDb users.
10 The Sopranos (9.2)
At number ten comes one of the most iconic series on television. The American crime drama follows the daily dalliances of Tony Soprano, portrayed by the late James Gandolfini. The Sopranos follow a mob family based in Northern New Jersey, and Tony is best regarded as one of the most influential antiheroes in American television. The series succeeds at humanizing Tony, chronicling his panic attacks and subsequent therapy sessions throughout the show. Viewers saw Tony grapple with controlling his household, his family, and his mental health, creating a champion out of the capo.
The remaining characters consist of Camela (Edie Falco), Christopher (Michael Imperioli), and Jennifer (Lorraine Bracco), who are Tony’s family, many of whom are a part of the mob. The series sees the titular family go up against not only rival mafia gangs but substance abuse, anxiety, and complex understandings of grief. It is no wonder that the show is a beloved classic among many. Nothing is treated as a spectacle, even the mafia background that drew many to the show, to begin with.
9 Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey (9.2)
Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey sees Neil DeGrasse Tyson taking audiences on a trip throughout the universe, from the early stages of development to the unpredictable future that lies ahead. Tapping into human curiosity has always been crucial for television series; however, Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey takes it a step further and educates the audience about the various processes that brought them into existence. The series has been lauded as the perfect production for educating viewers, including a soundtrack composed by Alan Silvestri and a concise season packed with information.
While the show pays homage to Carl Sagan’s contributions to our understanding of the universe in his original book and miniseries Cosmos, Neil DeGrasse Tyson captures the essence of the program while breathing new life into the engaging practice that is exploring the universe. Sagan's original Cosmos series is actually at the 11th spot in IMDb's list of the best TV shows.
8 Avatar: The Last Airbender (9.2)
Avatar: The Last Airbender introduces audiences to a fictional world heavily inspired by various Asian cultures and beliefs like Buddhism and Hinduism. The four nations are represented by the four elements: Water, Fire, Earth, and Air, with some citizens having the ability to bend or manipulate said elements.
The series follows a 12-year-old boy named Aang and his newfound friends Katara, Sokka, and Toph, as he fulfills his destiny of being the Avatar, the master of all four elements and the bridge between the material world and the spirit world. In hopes of ending a century-long war, Aang and his friends unravel hidden truths, connect with the past and the afterlife, and ultimately cherish friendship, accountability, and mercy on their path to defeating the Fire Lord.
The show has been commended for balancing enjoyable humor with serious topics such as war, genocide, imperialism, and poverty. The discussion of mental health, toxic family dynamics, and displacement with the analysis of gender roles and expression as well as the concept of a close-knit chosen family made Avatar: The Last Airbender one of the best animation series of all time and the only animation series in the top ten of IMDb’s list of 250 shows.
7 Blue Planet II (9.2)
Blue Planet II is an excellent examination of marine life throughout our known history. The BBC production follows the many species whose livelihood depends on the great blue seas of planet Earth. The series was presented by the highly decorated biologist David Attenborough, taking viewers below the blue blanket to investigate how life manifests itself in the ocean.
The nature series has been praised by audiences and critics alike for immersing viewers in marine life, not as the star of the show but as an engaged bystander, watching how life under the sea occurs from the molecular level to the largest of organisms, while stressing just how inescapable pollution, fishing, and toxic waste are. The series prompts viewers to reconsider their role as it pertains to the relationship between humans and millions of species, plants, and organisms that reside in the ocean.
6 The Wire (9.3)
A gritty, realistic crime drama that truly stands out as the best in a sea of Law and Order spinoffs, CSI's and NCIS’s, The Wire premiered on HBO in 2002. Since then, the show has been celebrated for carrying a captivating narrative about the way institutions frame and manipulate individuals, doing so with a cast of fresh actors. It has since been considered one of the best TV shows of all time.
The Wire is the brainchild of David Simon and Ed Burns, the latter of whom had a career in detective work and teaching. Chronicling the life and decisions of the overconfident yet complex Detective Jimmy McNulty (Dominic West), The Wire does not shy away from the regrettable and abhorrent decisions made by the police department and the protagonists themselves. The suspects and criminals are initially considered as only one part of the predicament, or better yet, the result of the institutional dysfunction found in the policing department.
5 Chernobyl (9.3)
The limited series Chernobyl chronicles the aftermath of the horrific Chernobyl disaster. Jared Harris, Emily Watson, and Stellan Skarsgård star as the deputy director, nuclear physicist, and deputy chairman, respectively, who are tasked with dealing with the fallout of the horrific event. Based on the experiences of Pripyat locals and Voices Of Chernobyl, written by Belorussian journalist Svetlana Alexievich, the critically acclaimed series tackles the devastating issue mainly with extensive research while sprinkling some artistic liberties to add to the dramatic tone.
Chernobyl does a masterful job of humanizing the people directly involved and affected by the Chernobyl disaster. The focus on the scientists, the volunteers, and the officials pinpoint the mishaps that resulted in the explosion. From negligence to censorship, the show-runners depict how those various choices impact people on the ground and ultimately devastated an entire community as the world watched in horror.
4 Band of Brothers (9.4)
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Based on the Easy Company, the 2001 drama miniseries Band of Brothers follows a group of soldiers during World War II. Much like the aforementioned Chernobyl, Band of Brothers relied on extensive research about the “E Company,” which was a part of the 2nd Battalion of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division.
Kirk Acevedo, Damian Lewis, and Elon Bailey are some of the many major players in this series, chronicling the lives of citizen soldiers who risked their lives in Normandy, fighting against the Nazi regime. A brave depiction of humanity, the heart of the series is displaying both great good and great evil as well as the various nuances that exist between the two. Humanity may not be a monolith but through the portrayal of these soldiers, Band of Brothers stresses that human life and the compassion that inspires rebellion against tyranny and rejection of discrimination, is what defines humanity, and is thus worth salvaging.
3 Planet Earth (9.4)
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The British miniseries Planet Earth is beloved for its captivating portrayal of the environment, documenting the various changes and patterns that exist on the planet through vivid scenery and engaging narration. David Attenborough returns to the list and discusses issues such as climate change during the show’s examination of the North Pole and the various deserts across the world. Following Blue Planet, the showrunners decided to give audiences an overview of the land they live on and how they came to be as Earth continues to evolve day by day.
Attenborough shares the spotlight with the natural flora and fauna of the planet, reeling viewers in with picturesque footage and a detailed overview of the climate, their respective species, and the various relationships between the various species themselves and how they engage with a particular climate.
2 Breaking Bad (9.4)
Breaking Bad birthed one of the most iconic characters in history with Walter White (Bryan Cranston). Following a disgruntled high school chemistry teacher suffering from Stage 3 lung cancer, White finds himself engaging in drug dealing to ensure his family’s financial future. With the assistance of former student Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul). Similarly to The Sopranos, the show invites audiences into every aspect of Walter’s life.
Walter’s wife Skyler (Anna Gunn) and children, portrayed by RJ Mitte and Elanor Anne Wenrich respectively, are given compelling storylines of their own, grappling with financial woes and cerebral palsy. Hank (Dean Norris) is Walter’s brother-in-law who just so happens to be a DEA agent and thus one of the primary antagonists of the series desires his comical demeanor.
Being one of the most popular television series, the show has a strong cult following to the point where it seems like referring to the large fanbase as a cult following might very well be an understatement. The compelling combination of humor, grief, and drama produced a timeless and enjoyable series beloved by millions.
1 Planet Earth II (9.4)
Tapping in at number one is none other than Planet Earth II. The nature documentary is the successor to the previously mentioned Planet Earth, once again narrated by the great David Attenborough with music provided by the exceptional Hans Zimmer. A decade after the initial installment, Attenborough takes viewers around the world and back, contrasting new world developments with what previously existed during the filming of the first Planet Earth documentary.
Planet Earth II provides high-definition coverage of symbiotic, parasitic, and mutualistic relationships between animals in various climates and communities. The often frightening yet fascinating weather conditions do not seem to deter the crew away from capturing life in motion. From mountains to mega-cities, the series captures animal interaction with their surroundings, making a key decision to document how adaptable many species are in the face of hazardous human interference.
The particular appeal comes from our collective desire to understand our home and thus us. Seeing how sharing the planet and all of its wonders impacts different species disproportionately while highlighting the many beautiful faces and places of planet Earth encourages viewers to embrace the biodiversity of the planet, placing themselves as one of many in just a vast, rich world in dire need of protection.